Pond – Hobo Rocket

Nick Allbrook, who has always been my favourite member of Tame Impala, announced he was leaving the band about a month ago. At the time, I was devastated. The skinniest, littlest, and in my eyes, most magic member of the now world famous band is such a raw talent and an incredible live performer. However, I took comfort in the fact that he was still the frontman behind the alternative Perth-based band, Pond. Yes, Pond work closely with Tame Impala, and they have, over the years, included many of the same band members. However, their new album Hobo Rocket draws a definitive line between the two bands- something that their previous releases have failed to do. Although it doesn’t officially drop until Friday, the boys have kindly made it streamable here, and its a cracker!

Gone are the lengthy, sprawling guitar solos that marked their early work. So too are most all of the throwback psychedelic jams. In fact, Hobo Rocket’s seven songs clock in at all of 34 minutes – trimming a great deal of the fat from their time as a jam band in favour of directness and songwriting precision. What’s left, more than anything, are cohesive song structures, clever arrangements, and the impression that Pond aren’t going to be Jan Brady to Tame Impala’s Marcia for much longer- Music Feeds

Sonically, Hobo Rocket is modern and raw, and the songs are incredibly well written. The sound sways between breezy and sun drenched, to hard, bass-heavy and ecstatic. To me, Hobo Rocket is the record that showcases the potential that was always bubbling just under the surface of Pond’s 2012 release, Beard, Wives & Denim. The boys have let slip that they’ll be touring the album nationally later this year, and I can hardly wait.

The band have garnered fame through loose line-ups and ever-changing genres. They’ve sauntered through an array of styles, including funk, psychedelia and space-rock; generally, though there’s a lot of variety, they seem quite comfortable emulating the chic 70s sounds. Though Pond may share members with Tame Impala, they’re a very different band. Pond are an anti-Tame Impala – a wildly fun flipside to Tame Impala’s ‘serious band’ vibe- The 405

I’ll wrap this up with Nick Allbrook’s explanation of the record, because he puts it more eloquently than I ever could…

Welcome to our new album HOBO ROCKET. It’s pretty fun I reckon, I even still quite like it. It comes in a very pretty case with a picture of a tin foil clad vagrant on the front, not that you’d know that, right? Or maybe you’ve used your god-given powers of human deduction to notice the little picture on your computer screen, and have gone on to IMAGINE what the real thing is like. It’s cardboard, by the way.

HOBO ROCKET, by Pond. Its good for all occasions! Carpark headbanging, frat-parties, falling backwards off of not-quite-fatally high balconies, weddings, bar mitzvahs… hell, you could even chuck it on whilst making love to yr old lady, why not? It all depends how uncomfortable an atmosphere you can physically endure. Are you really a rock of social fortitude? Are you absolutely sure your girlfriend’s family like you? Are you confident in EVERY decision you make? God knows I’m not! Take this ridiculous introductory paragraph, for example.

Anyhow, enough crapshit from my facehole, go throw it on for Grandma’s sunday roast and put your friends and loved ones to the test, with HOBO ROCKET! Or alternatively, get blasted and listen to it on headphones in bed.